The casino industry is more competitive than it has ever been, with an increasing number of companies trying to outdo each other and offer something their competition can’t. Lots of casinos focus on giving the best bonuses, but it takes far more than that to create the full package.
In this guide, we’re looking at the criteria that some of the best online casinos have mastered in offering customers fulfilling casino gaming experiences. What is it that actually makes a great casino, and why should casinos be spending their time and money developing these components to try and grow?
Usability
Usability is one of the top criteria, as people have less patience with websites and their layouts than ever before. A bit like choosing whether to go to Tesco or Morrisons for groceries this Christmas, customers have a great deal of choice when it comes to casinos. This means they can easily go elsewhere if they have a poor experience.
There’s significant pressure on gambling brands to make their offerings easy to use, which includes being easy to navigate, sign up and start to use. This could also extend to apps, as a lot of these companies also have an application for Android or iOS. Either way, it is important for a gambling brand’s popularity that they provide a simple to use interface that doesn’t put people off.
As well as being easy to use, the site should look good too. People can be put off by a clunky, out-of-date looking site.
Game choice
On to the practical elements that many gamers will think about when they are looking to choose a gambling brand to use. Each casino has its own range of different games, which means that some offer thousands of game options. Some studies have estimated there to be over 20,000 casino games that have been made since the start of the internet. It’s hard to track the number, but many of the big developers release new games almost every month.
People want a choice between the basic types of games. For example, some people would rather play blackjack while others would rather play slots. Some people want a casino where they can spend their time playing poker against people in other parts of the world.
One of the ways in which we see the most choice offered though is in the world of slot gaming. A look at some of the top casino sites will show you that there is a wide range of slot games with various themes and mechanisms. Games using the Megaways mechanic have become really popular, partially due to the fact that it has so many different ways for players to potentially make matches and the reels keep tumbling after each match.
There’s no excuse for not having a huge selection of games now, with so many developers offering their own types of games to casinos. Many have thousands in their repertoire.
Exclusive games
As we’ve covered with the sheer volume of games, there are also certain exclusive games that can be a big draw. A bit like the way certain video games may only be available on Xbox or PlayStation, there are exclusive games on offer at some casino brands, who may even develop their own games in-house rather than working with partners.
This alone isn’t always a reason to start playing at a casino, but it is true that there are certain games that some people really enjoy and want to check out, so if there is only one casino in which to do so, this may win the day.
Bonuses
Casinos almost all offer some sort of bonus or incentive. There are very few that don’t provide a signup bonus when a player makes a deposit and starts gambling, which means that before they sign up, players should always look for bonus codes and special offers.
These bonuses usually come in the form of either matched deposits where the casino matches a certain percentage of the money that you have put into the account or free spins. Free spins may be restricted to a certain game on the site as a way for developers to promote their newest games.
Signup bonuses are worth considering, but a lot of casinos also know that they need to keep their players engaged for a longer period of time. This means that they may offer loyalty bonuses or even VIP programs that can help to retain customers. Making the choice to sign up at a casino who may reward loyalty can also be a good idea for the long term.
Any time someone signs up to play at an online casino, they should definitely pay close attention to the bonuses first.
Trust
Every time you visit a site you should be thinking about whether they are trustworthy. Luckily in the modern age we have certain tools that can help. For instance, TrustPilot is a great way to check this and ensure that others have had a good experience. They aggregate what other people have said about casinos and provide access to verified reviews, so players can be sure they know a little about the company before they make a deposit and give up their personal details.
There are other ways players can check if a site is trustworthy. Of course, it should be a secure site with an SSL certificate, and they should also have a page that details their terms of service. This will help you to understand what they offer and how they operate. Licensing is a big part of the industry too, and it is possible you may want to check their licensing body and licence number before signing up, especially if it is a casino brand you have not heard of before.
Payment methods
People all have their own preferences on how they want to pay for things now. Are you the sort of person who will pay with their watch or do you still prefer the old-fashioned chip and pin?
There are usually a lot of different ways to pay in modern casinos, as they have embraced some of the more up-to-date methods people like to use to manage their money and move their money around. For example, it is possible to deposit to an account using PayPal or another e-wallet service.
Some sites even allow Bitcoin transfers or support a variety of cryptocurrencies, though it may be converted into a GBP value for the purposes of putting into an account. These are just some examples, did you know that a lot of casinos, even online ones, still provide an option for people to call and pay by phone? There’s an option to suit most people.
In addition to the methods, it is worth a quick look at the payment speeds too. Some times, people will want their payments and withdrawals to be handled as quickly as possible. If someone does land a sizable win on a casino game, they’ll usually appreciate it if the money is quickly transferred to their bank account rather than having to wait for it.
Support
A lot of casinos offer top support to their players too, which means if someone runs into a problem there is somebody available to talk to and to guide them through it.
Support can take a few different forms, but ideally, the casino will have 24/7 assistance available so that players can contact somebody if they do run into an issue. This could be an issue along the lines of struggling to make a deposit or withdrawal, or even needing support with another aspect, such as how to create or close an account.
A lot of casino brands offer email support too, so the customer can send their query via email and usually get a fast response. Alternatively, some have phone lines, and some of these are open 24/7 to let people get in touch if they need a question answered.
At the very least, casinos should offer live chat support for players to send their queries and receive some assistance.
Conclusion
Everyone will have slightly different criteria when it comes to choosing the best casino, and their own idea of what is best. For example, somebody that loves poker may choose a casino with the best poker games, while a slot lover might go elsewhere and to play the top slot games on the market.
In general, people are looking for casinos that they can trust, that also have a wide selection of games, and simple usability with a lot of different options for depositing and withdrawing money. These are the main criteria for the top online casinos, and safety and security should always be at the top of the list. Be sure to gamble responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose.
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